Eli was still sound asleep, so I jotted down a note telling him I’d be back before supper and left the cabin. The ranch had an art gallery, and this was the perfect opportunity to visit it. The town had been buzzing since it opened because it drew in tourists to our town, but without a car, I’d never been able to check it out.
I opened the door to the building and stepped inside, the cool, quiet air wrapping around me. A woman with long black hair stood from a desk along the wall.
“Hello. Welcome to the gallery. Would you like a tour or just to wander?”
“A tour would be great.” I held out my hand as she came closer. “I’m Katie. I’m staying on the ranch for a while.”
“Oh, you must be the social worker.” We shook hands. “I’m Sierra, Gabriel’s mate.”
She led me to the first painting. It was an explosion of color and depicted a sunset over the ranch. But it wasn’t just paint on canvas. It stirred something inside. “Impressive.”
“It’s Gabriel’s work. He’s the primary draw to the gallery.” Sierra ran her fingers along the intricate wooden frame, which somehow complemented the painting perfectly. “The frames are all made by Luke.”
My heart leaped, and I leaned closer to study Luke’s creation. The whirls and dips must have taken a delicate hand to carve. “I didn’t know he worked with wood.”
“Most of the wooden furniture around the ranch are his creations. He’s an artist in his own right.” She led me to the next piece, a large photo showing the silhouettes of two men on horseback, their backs to the camera as they surveyed the ranch. “Chloe, Declan’s mate, is a photographer. Any photos in your cabin are her work.”
“It’s amazing.” The frame on this piece was different but also blended perfectly with the photo it surrounded. This was a new side of Luke. “The gallery is truly a family effort.”
“It is.” Sierra’s eyes clouded. “Without their hard work, it would never have been possible. A saboteur burned down the original building just before the opening.”
“Why would anyone do that?”
“A former friend of Mason’s, Emily’s brother, apparently holds a grudge against him. He’s been trying to destroy the ranch for a while now.”
My brow furrowed as I remembered the trouble with the cattle earlier. Could it have been sabotage? I’d need to ask Luke about it to ensure the ranch was safe for Eli.
Sierra must have read my expression. She put a hand on my arm. “There’s been nothing for months. Mason’s upped the security and constantly adjusts the system.”
I gave her a faint smile and followed her through the gallery, only half listening to her information about the various pieces. Luke would warn me if the ranch was dangerous. The cattle incident must have been an accident.
After the tour, I said goodbye to Sierra and stepped outside, stopping to stretch and yawn. A lot had happened today, and I wanted a nap before dinner.
I left the covered porch of the gallery and moved toward the path to the cabins, but a flash out of the corner of my eye had me turning back. Everything froze as I saw a truck bearing down on me. The driver wore a hat and sunglasses, but I felt him looking straight at me. Not stopping or swerving.
Time slowed down, and my legs refused to move. My life flashed before my eyes. The emotional neglect of my parents. The day I graduated. My first case. Eli turning into a wolf. And Luke.
My memories turned to dreams that I’d had no chance to even dream. A future where I was Luke’s mate. His everything. Living on this ranch with him. Loved by him.
Tears pricked my eyes at the knowledge of everything I might miss out on. But I was also filled with a determination to prevent the loss of a future I didn’t know I wanted. I forced my legs to move, but the truck was coming too fast. Was too close already. I could only pray the driver would swerve.
SIX
Luke
I rounded the corner of the barn after finishing the roof, hands full of tools. After putting them away, I’d head to Katie and Eli’s cabin. Escort them to dinner at the ranch house.
The revving of an engine had me turning toward the gallery. My blood froze when I saw a truck heading straight for Katie, showing no signs of slowing down or swerving.
I dropped the tools I held and leaped over them, calling on my wolf to increase my speed. For the first time, I wished I was a tiger like Austin, whose speed put mine to shame. But I poured everything I had into it, muscles straining.
I leaped forward, shoving Katie out of the way just as the truck swerved. Still, the edge of the truck clipped my side, sending me flying as my breath left me. I tucked into a roll as I hit the ground, dirt and gravel digging into and scraping my skin.
The truck didn’t stop. I staggered to my feet, looking for the license plate, but there was none. Bent over, hands on my knees, I tried to suck in air, but my body wouldn’t cooperate. Everything blurred around me, but my only concern was Katie. I needed to make sure she wasn’t hurt.
“Oh my god! Luke! Are you okay?” She rushed to my side, arm wrapping around my lower back and helping me as I attempted to straighten.
I finally gulped in some air, stumbling sideways when I breathed in too much. Katie led me toward the gallery, my steps uneven as I tried to get my bearings.
